Totaled My O5 Prius Friday

Agreed!

I just wish I could get that Seville osteopath to relocate to Seattle, because with such a high rate of quackery among chiropractors, I don't know where I'll turn the next time I have back pain.

 

A physical therapist? We have one here called "Back to Action" who specializes in backs. He is excellent.

(Our local chiropractor is amongst the dishonest quack group -- he may, in fact, be president of their association.)

 

Excellent! There is one solid data point. Your observations agree with everything we all believe. Good to hear and thanks for your input.

 

San Diego Prius Club went to a talk by one of the Toyota execs. Okay, yes it was Toyota. But he talked about this very thing but in regards to addressing Consumer Reports, Edwards et al.

While the Prius fuel drops in the winter so do the other cars at a the same rate. He had a chart comparing the Prius to about five other cars for both optimum and winter fuel rates. When you do the math they all rank the same and the drop is the same. The Prius isn't any more or less efficient in the winter, it just seems like it is because it gets so much better mileage to begin with. And in the winter it still gets better mileage than a conventional car.

I don't have bad winters here. But even if I did I'd drive a Prius because 35-40 mpg in the winter beats 15-25 mpg. And in the summer it is way better.

I wish I knew where on the web that data might be posted. I think I took notes, maybe I can find them.

 

Okay, here are my notes. Too bad I don't have the chart as it was really clear.


Fuel Efficiency Communications

Dave Hermance
toyota Technical Center, USA

Prius only produced in Japan. Have not reached the full capacity of the two shift, line in the Japanese factory yet.

For knowlegeable audiences

Fuel economy is misleading

fuel economy is non-linear versus all issues of interest
-cost of fuel-
-gallon of fuel used
- CO2 emitted

Fuel consumption is the better metric is a european thing.
-not likely in U.S. due to cultural inertia

gallons saved has significant merit

Every 100 gallons of gasoline saved has the following impact:

$300 in owners pocket
One ton of CO2 not emitted
4 barrels of crude not consumed.

Each additional 100 gallons saved has the same impacts (the metric is linear)

Gallons saved:

Civic hybrid 238 per year compact car
Prius 346 per year midsize car
Escape 314 per year midsize SUV
GM PHT 94 per year large pickup truck

Urban Legend

Everyone knows the EPA test is no good.

Consumer’s Union uses their own on-road tests.

The data certainly suggest that the Prius has a larger shortfall, right?

But if you convert that to gallons used per year basis. The Prius shortfall is the same as all of the other cars if you used gallons consumed over the year.

We should use fuel consumption rather than fuel economy.

On a gallons saved per year basis, the EPA ratings are a good comparison. The CU comes out the same when you compare gallons saved per year comparing the cars.

Another Urban Legend.

But, high efficiency vehicles suffer more in extreme operation.

Cold, hot, aggressive.

Again, the data certainly suggest that a prius has a larger shortfall, right?

When converted to gallons consumed, the Prius average increase in gallons is less than the other cars but 25 gallons or more. One is 40 gallons better

The Prius is less effected by adverse driving conditions than other cars.

On a gallon saved per year basis, the EPA ratings are a good comparison and perhaps too conservative.

EPA plans to change the calculation of the label Mpg values, but they must keep the mpg metric by law.

However , they could provide useful information on fuel use and savings within class to improve customer knowledge.

They could use something like the diamond star labels they use on appliances to show energy consumption and savings over a year.

 

AND...he would get "SMART" airbags, so they might not deploy so harshly in another accident.
Although, in this case, I think he needed everything the airbags could give him. Glad to hear you walked away! Where's the pix??

 

I have to agree with getting the '06 - those 'smart' airbags might have reduced the superficial injuries a little at least.

I am waiting for my '06 which I ordered because of the survival stories I had heard.

Hey dogtrainer, when you can get back to the yard where the Prius is now, how about some photos - we would all like to see them and for me so that I can add them to my 'survival' library.